Construction has begun in Varėna on the first battery train charging station in the Baltic States. The foundations for the future facility are currently being poured, marking one of the most important phases of the project and the transition from planning to the actual installation of infrastructure.

According to Vytis Žalimas, CEO of LTG Infra, a company within the LTG Group, this infrastructure will enable passengers to travel to Varėna on new battery-powered trains, making rail travel even more sustainable.

“Battery trains will allow passengers to reach locations that are not connected to the overhead contact network. The charging station being installed in Varėna will enable trains to quickly recharge their batteries and continue their journey on non-electrified sections until they reach electrified track. Importantly, battery charging will take place while passengers are boarding and disembarking and while the train is being prepared for service, meaning that overall journey times will remain unchanged,” says Žalimas.

The charging station being built in Varėna will provide a maximum charging capacity of 2 to 2.5 MW per train. It will be connected to a 10 kV medium-voltage distribution network, while the main equipment will be housed in standard 12-metre-long shipping containers.

Train batteries will be charged via a pantograph using a specially designed short overhead contact system. Depending on the battery’s state of charge, the charging process will take up to 45 minutes.

This infrastructure is being developed for the new battery-powered trains that LTG Link, another company of the LTG Group, plans to operate. These trains will be capable of running on both electrified and non-electrified rail sections, expanding the possibilities for sustainable railway transport in Lithuania.

At present, one charging station is planned for Varėna, although further expansion to other Lithuanian cities is envisaged, with additional charging facilities to be installed in the future.

The charging station is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, and the project is valued at €3.2 million.